A site-aware cluster of a data storage system includes a cluster of nodes distributed across a primary site and a secondary site. The primary site and the secondary site may be located at different geographical locations. The primary site is an active site having one or more nodes where an application workload may actively run depending on accessing of applications by users. The secondary site is a standby site having one or more nodes where the application workload can be shifted to, or failed over, in case the primary site is subjected to failure.